Thalaiva turns 65

Trendsetting Rajinikanth's style statements

Superstar Rajinikanth, who turns 65 on Saturday, has long since been synonymous with style. From the way he flips his cigarette to his signature walk, the man is known for his inimitable and unparalleled style in his movies.

His style statements, which have turned trendsetters over the years, are a fashion school in their own right.

Wearing goggles: Rajinikanth likes the concept of flipping. Be it a cigarette, a jacket, or even the stole that rests on his shoulder; he doesn't use them without a flip. While many may consider his way of using a goggle peculiar - flipping it from elbow level and rolling it a few times before actually wearing it, the style was still a hit among youngsters. It was so popular that even children, especially in the age group of 5 to 10, imitated it with likable innocence.

Flipping cigarette: In Indian cinema, nobody can flip a cigarette to his lips like Rajinikanth and it remains his most elusive trick ever because he has constantly reinvented it. From tossing a cigarette into his mouth from a fair distance to rolling it in the air and lighting it with a revolver, or even taking a burning cigarette into his mouth, and taking it back out. Although the star has stopped endorsing smoking on screen, his fans wait with bated breath to see him light a cigarette in films, even if it means for one last time.

The namaskar: When people do namaskar to greet others, their palms usually come together before the face or chest, but it goes sideways for Rajinikanth. It usually goes towards the right or left side of his chin. While the actor never did it on purpose, yet people started imitating it.

Hairstyle: It's quite possible that the star never required a comb, because he'd mostly flip his hair with his own hands with panache. Rajinikanth's hairstyle had striking similarity with a lion's mane and it could also be one of the reasons why it was never altered in his films.